Myth Exploded

[dobrien]

1. Kays were good basses. They were bottom ring entry level instruments. The tuning pegs sucked, the heel at the the base of the neck broke, the neck gave you tendonitis and the tops would cave in. Most people would buy an American Standard or an Epiphone if they could. Kays were about $50 to $75 used, in the late 60's and early 70's when gigs payed $50 to $150. Players could hardly wait to trade up. A used Pohlmann went for around $600. Kays were cheap and plentiful, you could knock them around and get another one when they broke, which they did often.

[drurb]

Gee, from the title I thought that "Myth" was a new brand of bass with which you had an unfortunate experience.

[dobrien]

It just reminds me of the movie Sleeper where Big Macs were considered great cuisine and Keane paintings high art.

[DC Bass]

[mpdd]

i guess that makes sense how you can pick up a very old kay acoustic for 5% the price of a very old gibson or gretsch

[johny martin]

never thought it was A myth, kays do suck.

[DC Bass]

Did I miss something? Why all the "hating" on Kays?

I had one and it was a great bass, especially for jazz, country and bluegrass.

I wish I had never gotten rid of it.

Joe

[Chris Symer]

The necks "gave you" tendonitis??? Wouldn't have anything to do wth the people playing them or how much they had studied the instrument, would it? Or all the lessons they were (or were not) taking? I'd love to see the doudle blind study that this fact is from..... Ease up on the poor Kays Danny!

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Chris Symer

The necks "gave you" tendonitis??? Wouldn't have anything to do wth the people playing them or how much they had studied the instrument, would it? Or all the lessons they were (or were not) taking? I'd love to see the doudle blind study that this fact is from..... Ease up on the poor Kays Danny!

Perhaps he was referring to this issue.

[VanillaThundah]

Basses are like women...everyone has their own taste and preferences. Some guys look at what other guys have and go "man, I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole!".

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it's all about what you find attractive....or what you can afford to keep around

[Chris Symer]

Originally Posted by drurb

Perhaps he was referring to this issue.

Alright, sure thing. I'll give you the "some players experience more fatigue" with a thinner neck profile. But to get from there to "this neck will give you tendonitis" (or the often heard "proper technique will prevent tendonitis) is stretching it just a bit, don't you think?

[chris1125]

Do I see another bass debate in the making?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Chris Symer

Alright, sure thing. I'll give you the "some players experience more fatigue" with a thinner neck profile. But to get from there to "this neck will give you tendonitis" (or the often heard "proper technique will prevent tendonitis) is stretching it just a bit, don't you think?

I was just trying to suggest that he might be referring to the thin neck profile issues discussed here before. Indeed, I don't think that one could reasonably go from that alone to a claim that tendonitis would generally be produced.

[bassteban]

I believe it's *bottom rung*- as in the bottom rung of a ladder.

[Jack Clark]

Molly, we need you!

[drurb]

Oh gosh, I hope we don't go down the wormhole here. How many times have we debated what makes Kays valuable and desired? As I see it, there are at least three dimensions that could be discussed:

1) design/build/playability
2) sound
3) their value as vintage Americana

The OP mostly addressed the drawbacks he perceives concerning design/build. On that score, I agree as do quite a number of others. New basses often recommended here sure don't share the design features (neck profile, overstand, fingerboard projection, neck block design, etc.) of Kays. On the other hand, many players are fine with those features and/or don't mind them given the other value they find in owning and playing a Kay.

The sound. Well, that's certainly a matter of taste. Not my cup of tea but certainly a fine cup of tea for others given their preferences and musical style. I'm not a plywood fan and if I were to own a "lami" it would be for durability and, personally, I wouldn't choose a Kay.

Their value as vintage Americana is undeniable.

Put it all together and, surprise!-- an old Kay is just the ticket for some and not for others. Experienced Kay owners and lovers know exactly what they have. They don't need to be informed of the details of the design features. They know their history and the prices they fetched over the past decades. You can't argue with preference. To each his own.

Knowing that there are intelligent, experienced players who know, love, and play Kays, I'm not sure that a thread like this accomplishes much beyond ruffling feathers. It would be one thing if a newbie asked targeted questions about Kays. Then, I'd hope that people would answer honestly with their points of view.

Let's nip this one in the bud.

Peace.

[engedi1]

Well said Durb. To make a blanket statement like "kays suck" would be ill informed and not true as preferences vary, and many, many records have been made in nashville sessions with Kays. However, that being the case, I wouldn't spend $3000 on one as I have often seen advertised. I would personally be interested in owning one as they really do fill a certian tonal niche in the bluegrass and country world just like American Standards do, however, I would be more interested in paying $1000 to $1500 for one. Value is combination of price and utility and perception and for ME the above price is where a Kay falls.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by engedi1

...To make a blanket statement like "kays suck" would be ill informed and not true as preferences vary...

The statement of such an opinion would not, necessarily, be ill-informed and there is no "truth" value to an opinion. My point is that one might hold that opinion and be quite well-informed but that there is little constructive reason to simply state it here.

[Chris Symer]

[arseniotall]

Christian Scott, "Yesterday You Said Tomorrow" Track 3: AFTERALL.....

Played on a Kay.








erase the hate. lol.